In 1972 Gibson produced a series of 'Guitar of the Month' brochures, each dedicated to one of their high end models, the Les Paul Recording guitar, L5-CES, ES-175D, Super 400-CES, ES-355TD-SV and Byrdland. Each brochure was a single sheet folded into four panels, with details of the instruments themselves, their features, musical purpose, and a little history behind the development of each guitar. Only the Les Paul Recording was a new model; the others were all well established in the Gibson line. Follow the link to see scans and further information on these leaflets and other Gibson guitar catalogues from the CMI and Norlin periods.

1961 Vox Stroller

The earliest versions of the Vox Stroller were actually copies of an early Japanese electricguitar, the Guyatone (also sold under the brand Antoria) LG50. These Strollers, although short-lived did undergo a few changes before taking on the more familiar Strat influenced style of many mid-sixties UK-built Vox guitars. The biggest difference between early and late LG50-style Strollers (and the two pickup version, the Shadow) was the larger pickup, a shade longer, but noticeably wider used in the very first Vox guitars. Compare this early Vox to a 1963 Stroller with the later V1 pickup. For more information about Vox guitar pickups in general, see the Vox guitar pickups page.

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1966 Kalamazoo KB-1
Solid-body electric bass guitar

Kalamazoo KB bass main page | 1966 Kalamazoo KB1 (Mustang) | 1967 Kalamazoo KB1 (SG) | sound clips

1966 Kalamazoo KB-1 (Mustang style)

Model 1966 Kalamazoo KB

Pickup One Gibson EB bass humbucker.

Scale 30 1/2"

Body Masonite body. 16 1/2" long, 11 1/2" wide, 1 1/4" thick. Overall length 43"

Neck Maple bolt-on neck with adjustable truss rod, 20 frets. Width at nut 1 3/4"

Hardware 1 volume and 1 tone control. Gibson bar bridge Gibson hand rest, Japanese closed-gear tuners

Weight 4.04 kg

Similar Models

The Kalamazoo KB bass guitar was shipped from 1966, up until 1969. This vintage Kalamazoo bass comes from the first year of production, 1966 and has the offset Fender Mustang body style. This changed to the more familiar SG style towards the end of the decade. See a 1967 SG-styled KB1 bass.

Despite having almost identical hardware, the 1966 US zone 1 price for the Kalamazoo KB1 bass was $119.50, compared to $240 for the equivalent Gibson EB-O. The bodies were produced out of Masonite by a third party manufacturer in Wisconsin, and there was no skilled assembly required. Gibson had taken a leaf out of Fender's book in producing a bass that could be bolted together in a very short time by unskilled labour. They were produced at Gibsons plant II (416E Ransom street, rather than the main plant, 225 Parsons street) which was where pickups and electronics were produced.

The combination of cheap price, and quality Gibson components made these popular guitars, selling well in 1966 and 1967. White was by far the best selling colour of 1966 (see Kalamazoo KB bass shipping stats); this bass is one of 1347 white KB basses shipped that year.

Be sure to listen to the Kalamazoo KB bass soundclips here.


The Kalamazoo KB basses are fitted with a Gibson EB bass humbucker, mounted onto the scratchplate. This is of course the same pickup that gives the EB-O and EB-3 basses their characteristic, 'fat' sound.	The bar bridge is the same type as used on slightly older Gibson EB basses. A very simple metal bar wrapped around two screwed in posts.	The handrest is another Gibson EB bass part that was coming to the end of it's life on the Gibson branded models.

One volume and one tone control.	The Kalamazoo KB bass headstock	Kalamazoo KB bass reverse headstock detail, with closed gear tuners